Cotija ( , ) is an aged Mexican cheese made from cow's milk and named after the town of

Cotija, Michoacán Cotija is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The municipality has an area of 504.05 km2 (0.91% of the surface of the state), and is bordered to the north by Jiquilpan and Villamar, to the east by Tocumbo, and to south ...

. White in color and firm in texture, its flavor is salty and milky. "Young" (or fresher) cotija cheese has been described as akin to a mild

feta Feta ( ; ) is a Greek brined white cheese made from sheep milk or from a mixture of sheep and goat milk. It is soft, with small or no holes, and no skin. Crumbly with a slightly grainy texture, it is formed into large blocks and aged in brin ...

, while aged (''añejo'') cotija is more comparable in flavor to hard, aged cheeses like

Parmesan Parmesan (, ) is an Italian cuisine, Italian Types of cheese#Hard cheese, hard, Types of cheese#Granular, granular cheese produced from Dairy cattle, cow's milk and aged at least 12 months. It is a Grana (cheese), grana-type cheese, along wit ...

. Cotija softens when exposed to heat, but does not melt. Made between the summer and fall seasons, this cheese is made with milk from local cattle and is salted before the

fermentation Fermentation is a type of anaerobic metabolism which harnesses the redox potential of the reactants to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and organic end products. Organic molecules, such as glucose or other sugars, are catabolized and reduce ...

process. The manufacturing processes of most

cheeses Cheese is a type of dairy product produced in a range of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk (usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats or sheep). During prod ...

in Mexico are still rustic and traditional, similar to the manufacturing process that was used upon its invention. Due to the traditional means of production of dairy products in Mexico some dairy products have a conflicting shelf-life which leads to earlier expiration. However, some studies suggest components in the fermentation of Cotija Cheese are natural preservatives that can extend the shelf-life of Cotija Cheese and other food products as well.

Queso Cotija de Montaña

El queso Cotija de Montaña or "grain cheese" is dry, firm, and very salty (the cheese is usually several times saltier than typical cheese, traditionally so that it will keep better). It is a seasonal cheese produced in limited quantities only from July to October because the cows are fed only on the rich grass that grows naturally on the mountains during the rainy season, giving the cheese its unique color and flavor.

Tajo variety

"Tajo" cheese is a moister, fattier, and less salty version that holds its shape when cut, with a flavor similar to

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

Production

Queso cotija is an artisan cheese made by hand; thus, every cheese is unique. This cheese usually comes in cylinders with a cream-colored crust. It is a ''queso de montaña'' (cheese of the mountains) because the cheesemakers live in the mountains as high as . The production method involves milling the curds into small pieces before pressing and aging. When cooked, it slightly softens, but does not otherwise change its shape or consistency. In the mouth, the cheese breaks up again to a sandy or grain-like consistency, adding to the texture of dishes.

Distribution

Cotija can be purchased in small rounds or large blocks. Like Parmesan, it is often sold already grated.

Uses

Cotija is often used as a "finishing" cheese in Mexican cuisine, crumbled or grated as a topping for

burritos A burrito (, ) or burro in Mexico is, historically, a regional name, among others, for what is known as a taco, a tortilla filled with food, in other parts of the country. The term ''burrito'' was regional, specifically from Guanajuato, Guerr ...

, soups, salads, beans, tostadas, or

taco A taco (, , ) is a traditional Mexican cuisine, Mexican dish consisting of a small hand-sized corn tortilla, corn- or Flour tortilla, wheat-based tortilla topped with a Stuffing, filling. The tortilla is then folded around the filling and fing ...

s, and Mexican ''

elote Corn on the cob is a culinary term for a cooked :wikt:ear#earofcorn, ear of sweet corn (maize) eaten directly off the corncob, cob. The ear is picked while the endosperm is in the "milk stage" so that the caryopsis, kernels are still tender. E ...

'' (corn on the cob). If cotija cannot be found, acceptable substitutes for fresh cotija include feta or queso fresco. Acceptable substitutes for aged cotija include ricotta salata, Parmesan, or Romano cheese. Cotija can be used as a substitute for the Salvadoran cheese ''queso duro'' (also known as ''queso duro blando'') when queso duro is inaccessible, especially in applications such as the Salvadoran quesadilla, a pound cake-like sweet bread.

Food-Borne Diseases and Cotija

Certain studies suggest that Cotija cheese can be used to target specific

bacteria Bacteria (; : bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one Cell (biology), biological cell. They constitute a large domain (biology), domain of Prokaryote, prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micr ...

to help increase shelf-life and prevent the spread of food-borne disease. The manufacturing process of most cheeses comes with the benefit of extended shelf-life. However, like most dairy products, Cotija cheese is not immune from contamination. In some rare cases it can contain an infectious

pathogen In biology, a pathogen (, "suffering", "passion" and , "producer of"), in the oldest and broadest sense, is any organism or agent that can produce disease. A pathogen may also be referred to as an infectious agent, or simply a Germ theory of d ...

that can infect humans. This pathogen originates from infections found in the cows used in the manufacturing of Cotija cheese. Certain

enzymes An enzyme () is a protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions. The molecules upon which enzymes may act are called substrates, and the enzyme converts the substrates into different molecules known as pro ...

also found in Cotija cheese can be used in the prevention of food-borne diseases. With most cheeses, there are good and bad bacteria: some bacteria can harm humans when ingested, while other bacteria actually fight against the harmful bacteria. The manufacturing process of Cotija cheese produces an abundance of this "antibacteria." Scientific studies have been conducted to isolate this "antibacterial enzyme" to combat the spread of food-borne diseases such as the various strains of E. coli.

Bibliography

* Antibacterial activity produced by Enterococcus spp. isolated from an artisanal Mexican dairy product, Cotija cheese. * Microbiological Characteristics and Behavior of Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcal Toxin during Making and Maturing Cotija Cheese. ** This is a peer reviewed article that includes research conducted by the

University of Guadalajara The University of Guadalajara () is a public university, public research university located in Guadalajara, Mexico. It was originally established in 1586 and officially founded on 12 February 1791 as the Royal and Pontifical University of Gu ...

. The authors of the article are professors at the University from different fields of study. The article itself contains over 32 references, most of which have been cross-referenced from academic sources. This source is mainly focused on how the manufacturing of Cotija Cheese reduces health risks associated with unpasteurized milk.

References

External links

Queso Cotija the best Cheese of the World (Spanish)

Queso Cotija article through Google translator
{{Cheese Mexican cheeses Cow's-milk cheeses